Adapter apparatus with conductive elements mounted using laminate layer and methods regarding same

Abstract

An adapter apparatus and methods for using in providing such adapter apparatus include providing a substrate having a plurality of openings defined therethrough. A plurality of conductive elements are mounted within corresponding openings thereof using a flowable and curable laminate material.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An adapter apparatus comprising:
 a substrate having a surface; 
 a laminate material applied to the surface of the substrate; 
 a plurality of openings defined through the substrate and the laminate material applied thereto; and 
 a plurality of conductive elements, wherein each conductive element is mounted within a corresponding opening of the plurality of openings using the laminate material, wherein each conductive element comprise an end configured to receive solder material thereon, wherein the laminate material is flowed and cured to form a fillet seal of laminate material about a perimeter of the end of each conductive element bridging a gap between the conductive element and one or more surfaces defining the opening through the substrate in which the conductive element is mounted. 
 
     
     
       2. The adapter apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the laminate material is integral with and continuous on the surface of the substrate between the fillet seals formed about the perimeters of the ends of the conductive elements. 
     
     
       3. The adapter apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of conductive elements comprises a main body portion and a tail portion extending therefrom terminating at the end of the conductive element, wherein the tail portion extends at least partially within the corresponding opening and outside of the corresponding opening beyond a surface of the laminate material applied to the surface of the substrate prior to the laminate material being flowed and cured to form the fillet seal of laminate material about the perimeter of the end of the conductive element bridging the gap between the conductive element and one or more surfaces defining the corresponding opening. 
     
     
       4. The adapter apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the main body portion terminates at an end opposite of the end terminating the tail portion, wherein the end terminating the tail portion is accessible for receiving solder material and the end terminating the main body portion of the conductive element is accessible when the at least one conductive element is mounted in the corresponding opening, wherein the fillet seal bridging the gap between the conductive element and one or more surfaces defining the corresponding opening through the substrate in which the conductive element is mounted comprises laminate material flowed and cured in a region between the tail portion and one or more surfaces defining the corresponding opening to block entry of other material into the corresponding opening. 
     
     
       5. The adapter apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of conductive elements comprises a female socket pin, a male terminal pin, or a conductive element comprising two ends configured to receive solder material on at least one of the ends. 
     
     
       6. The adapter apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the adapter apparatus further comprises a plurality of solder balls, wherein each solder ball is attached to the end of a corresponding conductive element of the plurality of conductive elements. 
     
     
       7. The adapter apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of conductive elements comprises an outer surface, wherein a portion of the outer surface is contacted with the laminate material applied to the surface of the substrate when flowed and cured to form the fillet seals. 
     
     
       8. The adapter apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of conductive elements are mounted in the plurality of openings configured to correspond to a contact element pattern of a surface mount device. 
     
     
       9. A method for use in forming an adapter apparatus, wherein the method comprises:
 providing a substrate and a sheet of laminate material applied on a surface of the substrate; 
 defining a plurality of openings through the substrate and the sheet of laminate material applied thereto, wherein each of the plurality of the openings is configured to receive one of a plurality of conductive elements, wherein each of the plurality of conductive elements comprises an end configured to receive solder material thereon; 
 inserting each of the plurality of conductive elements into a corresponding opening of the plurality of the openings; and 
 flowing and curing the sheet of laminate material to form a seal of laminate material about a perimeter of the end of each conductive element bridging a gap between the conductive element and one or more surfaces defining the opening through the substrate in which the conductive element is inserted. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises applying heat and pressure to affix the sheet of laminate material to the surface of the substrate. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises using a solvent and a roller to affix the sheet of laminate material to the surface of the substrate. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 9 , wherein defining each of the plurality of openings through the substrate and the sheet of laminate material applied thereto comprises creating a substrate opening through the substrate having a substrate opening diameter and creating a laminate sheet opening through the laminate sheet applied to the substrate having a laminate opening diameter. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein creating a laminate sheet opening through the laminate sheet applied to the substrate comprises decreasing a size of at least a portion of the laminate sheet opening such that the laminate opening diameter of the portion is less than the substrate opening diameter. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 9 , wherein defining each of the plurality of openings through the substrate and the sheet of laminate material applied thereto comprises creating a substrate opening through the substrate having a substrate opening diameter and creating a laminate sheet opening through the laminate sheet applied to the substrate having a laminate opening diameter, wherein the method further comprises:
 deforming the laminate sheet applied to the surface of the substrate with the laminate sheet openings defined therein to decrease the size of at least a portion of the laminate sheet openings such that the laminate opening diameter of the portion of the laminate sheet openings are less than the substrate opening diameter of the substrate openings. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein deforming the laminate sheet applied to the surface of the substrate with the laminate sheet openings defined therein to decrease the size of at least a portion of the laminate sheet openings comprises applying heat and pressure to the laminate sheet to decrease the size of the laminate sheet openings. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 9 , wherein applying the sheet of laminate material to the surface of the substrate results in an exposed surface of the sheet of laminate material, and wherein inserting each of the plurality of conductive elements into a corresponding opening of the plurality of the openings comprises inserting each of the plurality of conductive elements into a corresponding opening of the plurality of the openings such that an end surface terminating the end of the conductive element is outside of the corresponding opening beyond the exposed surface of the sheet of laminate material. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein flowing and curing the sheet of laminate material to form a seal of laminate material about a perimeter of the end of each conductive element bridging a gap between the conductive element and one or more surfaces defining the opening through the substrate in which the conductive element is inserted comprises forming a meniscus between the end surface terminating the end of each conductive element and laminate material continuously affixed to the surface of the substrate between the conductive elements. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of conductive elements comprises a main body portion and a tail portion extending therefrom terminating at the end surface of the conductive element, wherein the tail portion extends at least partially within the corresponding opening and outside of the corresponding opening beyond the exposed surface of the sheet of laminate material, wherein flowing and curing the sheet of laminate material to form a seal of laminate material about a perimeter of the end of each conductive element bridging a gap between the conductive element and one or more surfaces defining the opening through the substrate in which the conductive element is inserted comprises forming a meniscus between the end surface terminating the end of each conductive element and laminate material continuously affixed to the surface of the substrate between the conductive elements as laminate material wicks up the tail portion of the conductive element outside of the corresponding opening beyond the exposed surface of the sheet of laminate material. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the plurality of conductive elements comprises an outer surface, wherein a portion of the outer surface is contacted with laminate material after flowing and curing the sheet of laminate material to form a fillet seal of laminate material comprising a concave ring of laminate material bridging a gap between the conductive element and one or more surfaces defining the opening through the substrate in which the conductive element is inserted. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the plurality of conductive elements comprises a female socket pin, a male terminal pin, or a conductive plug element. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of conductive elements are mounted in the plurality of openings configured to correspond to a contact element pattern of a surface mount device. 
     
     
       22. A method for use in forming an adapter apparatus, wherein the method comprises:
 providing a substrate; 
 providing a dry flowable sheet of laminate material; 
 affixing the sheet of laminate material to a surface of the substrate resulting in an exposed surface of the sheet of laminate material; 
 defining a plurality of openings through the substrate and the sheet of laminate material affixed thereto, wherein each of the plurality of the openings is configured to receive one of a plurality of conductive elements; 
 inserting each of the plurality of conductive elements into a corresponding opening of the plurality of the openings such that a portion of the conductive element and an end surface terminating the end of the conductive element is outside of the corresponding opening beyond the exposed surface of the sheet of laminate material; and 
 flowing and curing the dry flowable sheet of laminate material to form a meniscus about the perimeter of each conductive element and between an end surface terminating an end of each conductive element and laminate material continuously affixed to the surface of the substrate between the conductive elements as laminate material wicks up the portion of the conductive element outside of the corresponding opening beyond the exposed surface of the sheet of laminate material.